Community Forums

jimcumminsw · 02-05-2020, 09:59 AM

I am towing a 37', 34RL Cedar Creek with an SRW truck. What you need to remember is some of this length is in the bed of the truck. So, your 38-footer, 5th wheel is not that long when towing.

Yes, the mass (weight) of the trailer is important and some of this mass (weight) will be supported by the rear axle, your tires and rims. As long as you do not exceed the RAW (rear axle weight ratings) and the maximum load limits of your tires and rims than you will be OK to tow that trailer.

CecilD · 02-05-2020, 10:07 AM

I went from a 25' TT (OAL) to a 31' fifth wheel and my overall length is about the same. You may find your truck/trailer combination length will be about the same as your travel trailer behind the truck. This would be especially true if the box length on your current trailer is 31'.

BubbaChris · 02-07-2020, 12:19 PM

I'm pulling a 14K 35' fiver with my SRW. If you dropped the weight to 12K and added 3' I'm sure it would feel easier.

Reading the thread and seeing it change from Arctic Fox to Arctic WOLF changed my bias on how to answer.

Best regards,
Chris

Daycruiser · 02-16-2020, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstamm2001

Hi all

Wife and I currently have a 31’ travel trailer but we are looking to move up to a fifth wheel. I have the truck 2017 F350 XLT CCSB 6.7 srw - payload 3600. I really like the 3550suite by arctic fox. It’s not very heavy but what concerns me is the length of 38 feet. Anyone have any experience towing a 38 foot fifth wheel in a single rear wheel truck?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Are you referring to the Arctic Fox 35-5Z? If so it's over 39' and I can assure you it will be much heavier on the Pin than what the brochure says when all is said and done. The SB SRW truck will notice the weight more than a long bed, the length not as much.

Jstamm2001 · 03-01-2020, 04:59 PM

So I thought I understood weights and towing capacity but I’m confused on GAWR. Again my truck is a 2017 F350CC 6.7L - 11,500 gvwr. Front gawr 5990, rear gawr 7230. Payload 3576

I’m looking at a 12,000 5th wheel - I should be wel under my weights all around? How do I figure how much weight is on the rear axles GAWR? I’ve read pages and pages and pages and I just get more confused.

Thanks for any help.

kdauto · 03-01-2020, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstamm2001

So I thought I understood weights and towing capacity but I’m confused on GAWR. Again my truck is a 2017 F350CC 6.7L - 11,500 gvwr. Front gawr 5990, rear gawr 7230. Payload 3576

I’m looking at a 12,000 5th wheel - I should be wel under my weights all around? How do I figure how much weight is on the rear axles GAWR? I’ve read pages and pages and pages and I just get more confused.

Thanks for any help.

If you want the exact weights, get your truck loaded up as you would when going camping, fuel it up full, firewood in box (if any) etc. Find a truck stop that has CAT scales and get your truck weighed, you'll have the exact weight on the rear axle. If your 5th wheel hitch is already installed, fine, if not, budget at least 200lbs for it and maybe 30 more for rails and brackets,depending on the setup.

Take your rear GAWR and subtract the actual weight you got from your ticket. THAT will be the maximum pin weight.

The average 5th wheel will be close to its maximum GVWR ready to camp. Many get caught up by "dry" weights, but no one ever camps like that. Use the trailer's GVWR. On a 15000 lb GVWR, you can figure an easy 3000 lbs of pin weight. The average is around 20% of actual weight. Toy haulers tend to be a higher % when not loaded with a heavy vehicle or cargo in back, but get back to 18-20% loaded heavy.

Hope that helps.

Jstamm2001 · 03-01-2020, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdauto

If you want the exact weights, get your truck loaded up as you would when going camping, fuel it up full, firewood in box (if any) etc. Find a truck stop that has CAT scales and get your truck weighed, you'll have the exact weight on the rear axle. If your 5th wheel hitch is already installed, fine, if not, budget at least 200lbs for it and maybe 30 more for rails and brackets,depending on the setup.

Take your rear GAWR and subtract the actual weight you got from your ticket. THAT will be the maximum pin weight.

The average 5th wheel will be close to its maximum GVWR ready to camp. Many get caught up by "dry" weights, but no one ever camps like that. Use the trailer's GVWR. On a 15000 lb GVWR, you can figure an easy 3000 lbs of pin weight. The average is around 20% of actual weight. Toy haulers tend to be a higher % when not loaded with a heavy vehicle or cargo in back, but get back to 18-20% loaded heavy.

Hope that helps.

Sorry I’m still confused.

Weigh the truck loaded up - then you said that is the weight on the rear axle. The truck weighs let’s say 7900#. This already doesn’t make sense.

kdauto · 03-01-2020, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstamm2001

Sorry I’m still confused.

Weigh the truck loaded up - then you said that is the weight on the rear axle. The truck weighs let’s say 7900#. This already doesn’t make sense.

A CAT scale will give you the weight on the front and rear axle separately. For example, total weight of truck=7900lbs, 4500 lbs front axle weight and 3400 lbs rear axle weight. You really need the rear axle weight info especially for 5th wheel hauling.

Jstamm2001 · 03-02-2020, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdauto

A CAT scale will give you the weight on the front and rear axle separately. For example, total weight of truck=7900lbs, 4500 lbs front axle weight and 3400 lbs rear axle weight. You really need the rear axle weight info especially for 5th wheel hauling.

That makes sense - I didn’t realize they gave you the front and rear separately so that helps. Thank you

BubbaChris · 03-02-2020, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstamm2001

So I thought I understood weights and towing capacity but I’m confused on GAWR. Again my truck is a 2017 F350CC 6.7L - 11,500 gvwr. Front gawr 5990, rear gawr 7230. Payload 3576

I’m looking at a 12,000 5th wheel - I should be wel under my weights all around? How do I figure how much weight is on the rear axles GAWR? I’ve read pages and pages and pages and I just get more confused.

Thanks for any help.

FYI, I did informal weights (with my Andersen Hitch in my truck) without the fifth wheel attached. It had a rear axle weight of 3,460 lbs. I have the same generation Super Duty with the same GVWR. You can assume that 100% of the pin weight will be added to your rear axle weight.

If the 12,000 lbs is the empty weight for the fiver you are considering, you'll likely be very close to payload maximum for your truck while still having margin for your RAWR. In my case I have about 300 lbs of payload remaining, and my rig weighed 12,222 leaving the factory. Loaded for camping added 1,800-2,000 lbs.

Best regards,
Chris

Jstamm2001 · 03-02-2020, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BubbaChris

FYI, I did informal weights (with my Andersen Hitch in my truck) without the fifth wheel attached. It had a rear axle weight of 3,460 lbs. I have the same generation Super Duty with the same GVWR. You can assume that 100% of the pin weight will be added to your rear axle weight.

If the 12,000 lbs is the empty weight for the fiver you are considering, you'll likely be very close to payload maximum for your truck while still having margin for your RAWR. In my case I have about 300 lbs of payload remaining, and my rig weighed 12,222 leaving the factory. Loaded for camping added 1,800-2,000 lbs.

Best regards,
Chris

Good info thank you. The 12000 lbs is the camper gvwr. I think the truck can handle more but that’s the limit I want to go and that’s the size of campers I’ve been looking at. 12,000 gvwr camper should keep my weights under the max and give me some breathing room.

McRod · 03-02-2020, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstamm2001

Hi all

Wife and I currently have a 31’ travel trailer but we are looking to move up to a fifth wheel. I have the truck 2017 F350 XLT CCSB 6.7 srw - payload 3600. I really like the 3550suite by arctic fox. It’s not very heavy but what concerns me is the length of 38 feet. Anyone have any experience towing a 38 foot fifth wheel in a single rear wheel truck?

Thanks for any suggestions.

A 38 ft 5th wheel tows easier than a 31 ft trailer.

Jstamm2001 · 03-02-2020, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McRod

A 38 ft 5th wheel tows easier than a 31 ft trailer.

Awesome! Thank you

MtCamper · 03-03-2020, 07:42 AM

OP, Sorry this went from an OAL question to a GVW answer. You are on your own for the weight issue. I agree it's important, but that wasn't your question.

I went from a 20' TT (OAL 25') to an almost 30' fifthwheel and my OAL was a wash. You not only have some of the camper over the truck, you have moved your hitch forward several feet. I'm betting your OAL would be about the same or shorter with your proposed 5er. Backing will be different but not harder. Towing will be much more stabile.

I'll digress to the weight issue now. I don't see many of the Af 35 footers on the road, but of those I see they are towed by SRW and DRW one tons with a trend to the newer 450 and 550 size trucks. Since you own the truck and want the new AF, give it a try knowing you can re-evaluate when it comes time to replace. A lot depends on how your travel and use your camper. Only you can answer those questions. Good luck and happy travels.